JP2014215739A - Electronic apparatus and log recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus and a log recording method that are capable of individually securing an amount of accumulation of each of logs having different recording intervals.SOLUTION: A plurality of buffers 531-533 for recording a plurality of types of logs A-F are prepared in a RAM 53, and each of the logs A-F is recorded in a buffer allocated in accordance with recording intervals of the logs A-F among the plurality of buffers 531-533, thereby individually securing an amount of accumulation of each of the logs A-F having the different recording intervals.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device for recording a log and a log recording method.

  In general, in electronic devices such as printers, copiers, and multifunction devices, a log indicating an operation history is recorded in a storage unit such as a RAM for the purpose of investigating the cause of an abnormality. At this time, the log is overwritten and recorded in order from the oldest log in a buffer of a predetermined size secured in advance in the storage means.

  Incidentally, a plurality of types of logs that are normally recorded in an electronic device may have different recording intervals depending on the contents or importance of the logs. Conventionally, however, a plurality of types of logs are sequentially overwritten and recorded in the same buffer regardless of the recording interval. Therefore, in the buffer, the accumulation amount of logs with short recording intervals is large, and the accumulation amount of logs with long recording intervals is small. On the other hand, as a log recording method, a technique for recording a necessary log while reducing the storage capacity of a buffer by limiting the log to be recorded when an abnormality occurs and reducing the recording interval is known (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).

JP 2010-223560 A

  However, even when the logs to be recorded at the time of occurrence of an abnormality are limited as described above, when a plurality of types of logs are stored in one buffer, logs with long recording intervals are overwritten and the accumulation amount is reduced. The problem still remains.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device and a log recording method capable of individually securing the accumulation amount of each log having different recording intervals.

  The electronic device according to the present invention includes a plurality of buffers and log recording means. A plurality of types of logs are recorded in the plurality of buffers. The log recording means records each log in the buffer allocated according to the log recording interval among the plurality of buffers.

  The log recording method according to the present invention includes a step of preparing a plurality of buffers in which a plurality of types of logs are recorded, and each of the logs is assigned to the buffer allocated according to the log recording interval among the plurality of buffers. Recording.

  According to the present invention, each log having a different recording interval is distributed and recorded in a buffer corresponding to the recording interval, so that it is possible to individually secure an accumulation amount of a log having a different recording interval.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a multifunction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a procedure of a recording destination change process executed by the multifunction machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. The figure for demonstrating an example of the log corresponding | compatible information used with the multifunctional device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating an example of the log recorded on each buffer with the multifunctional device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating an example of the log recorded on each buffer with the multifunctional device which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings for understanding of the present invention. In addition, the following embodiment is an example which actualized this invention, Comprising: The thing of the character which limits the technical scope of this invention is not.

[Schematic configuration of MFP 10]
First, a schematic configuration of a multifunction machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction machine 10 includes an ADF 1, an image reading unit 2, an image forming unit 3, a paper feeding unit 4, a control unit 5, an operation display unit 6, and the like. The multifunction device 10 is merely an example of the electronic device of the present invention, and a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or the like also corresponds to the electronic device according to the present invention.

  The operation display unit 6 is provided on the outer surface of the multifunction machine 10. The operation display unit 6 includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display that displays various types of information in accordance with control instructions from the control unit 5. The operation display unit 6 includes an operation unit such as a hard key or a touch panel for inputting various information to the control unit 5 in response to a user operation.

  The ADF 1 drives each of the transport rollers 12 by a motor (not shown), and transports the document set on the document placement unit 11 to the paper discharge tray 13 through the image reading position by the image reading unit 2. An automatic document feeder.

  The image reading unit 2 is an image reading unit including a document table 21, a light source unit 22, mirrors 23 and 24, an optical lens 25, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 26, and the like. The document table 21 is a document placement unit provided on the upper surface of the image reading unit 2. The reading unit 22 includes an LED light source 221 and a mirror 222, and is movable in a sub-scanning direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1) by a motor (not shown). The LED light source 221 includes a number of white LEDs arranged along the main scanning direction (the depth direction in FIG. 1). The mirror 222 reflects the light emitted from the LED light source 221 and reflected by the surface of the document at the reading position on the document table 21 toward the mirror 23. The light reflected by the mirror 222 is guided to the optical lens 25 by the mirrors 23 and 24. The optical lens 25 collects incident light and makes it incident on the CCD 26. The CCD 26 includes a photoelectric conversion element that inputs an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of light incident from the optical lens 25 to the control unit 5 as image data of the document.

  The image forming unit 3 performs an image forming process (printing process) based on image data read by the image reading unit 2 or image data input from an electronic device such as an external personal computer. Image forming means. Specifically, the image forming unit 3 includes a transport unit 30, a photosensitive drum 31, a charging device 32, an exposure device (LSU) 33, a developing device 34, a transfer roller 35, a cleaning device 36, a fixing roller 37, and a pressure roller. 38, a paper discharge tray 39, and the like.

  On the other hand, the paper feed unit 4 supplies the image forming unit 3 with sheets such as paper stored in a paper feed cassette 41 that can be attached to and detached from the multifunction machine 10. The sheet supplied to the image forming unit 3 passes the fixing roller 37 and the pressure roller 38 through the photosensitive drum 31 and the transfer roller 35 by the conveying unit 30, and then is a discharge tray 39. To be discharged. At this time, in the image forming unit 3, an image forming process for forming an image on a sheet supplied from the paper feeding unit 4 and conveyed by the conveying unit 30 is executed according to the following procedure.

  First, the photosensitive drum 31 is uniformly charged to a predetermined potential by the charging device 32. Next, the exposure device 33 irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum 31 with light based on image data. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image data is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31. The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 31 is developed (visualized) with toner by the developing device 34. The developing device 34 is supplied with toner from a toner container 34 </ b> A that can be attached to and detached from the image forming unit 3. Subsequently, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 31 is transferred to a sheet by the transfer roller 35. Thereafter, the toner image transferred to the sheet is heated and fixed by the fixing roller 37 when the sheet passes between the fixing roller 37 and the pressure roller 38. The toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31 after the image forming process by the image forming unit 3 is removed by the cleaning device 36.

  Next, the system configuration of the multifunction machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The control unit 5 is a computer having control devices such as a CPU 51, a ROM 52, and a RAM 53. The CPU 51 is a processor that executes various arithmetic processes. The ROM 52 is a nonvolatile storage unit in which information such as a control program for causing the CPU 51 to execute various processes is stored in advance. The RAM 53 is a volatile storage unit that stores various types of information, and is used as a temporary storage memory (working area) for various types of processing executed by the CPU 51. The CPU 51 comprehensively controls the multifunction machine 10 by executing various control programs stored in advance in the ROM 52. The control unit 5 may be an electronic circuit such as an integrated circuit (ASIC, DSP), and the image forming unit 3 is separate from the main control unit that controls the multifunction device 10 in an integrated manner. The engine control part provided in the above may be sufficient.

  Specifically, the CPU 51 executes a log recording process (see FIG. 4), which will be described later, for recording a log indicating the operation history of the multifunction machine 10 in the RAM 53 in accordance with the control program stored in the ROM 52. The log is information recorded for the purpose of investigating the cause of the abnormality, for example, detection results of a paper detection sensor and a temperature sensor provided in the multifunction machine 10, processing contents executed by the CPU 51, and the Various information such as status information of the multifunction machine 10 is included.

  Here, the RAM 53 is provided with a plurality of buffers 531 to 533 in which various logs are recorded in the log recording process. The buffers 531 to 533 are fixed storage areas set in advance. The buffers 531 to 533 may be secured in the RAM 53 by the CPU 51 when the multifunction machine 10 is activated. In the present embodiment, the case where the buffers 531 to 533 are recording areas secured in the RAM 53 will be described as an example. However, the buffers 531 to 533 are provided in storage means such as different RAMs. It may be a thing.

  Further, the buffers 531 to 533 have different storage capacities depending on the contents of logs to be recorded. Specifically, the storage capacity of the buffer 531 is the largest, and the storage capacity of the buffer 532 is smaller than the buffer 531 and larger than the buffer 533. In the multi-function device 10, the CPU 51 assigns each log according to the log recording interval among the plurality of buffers 531 to 533 based on the log correspondence information D 1 stored in advance in the ROM 52. Record in a separate buffer.

  The log correspondence information D1 is a correspondence relationship between the first group, the second group, and the third group defined as a group of logs to be recorded in the buffers 53, 532, and 533 and the types of logs belonging to each of the groups. It is information which shows. The first group is a log group having the shortest recording interval, the second group is a log group having the next shortest recording interval, and the third group is a log group having the longest recording interval. That is, the buffer 531 that is the recording destination of the log having the shortest recording interval among the plurality of buffers 531 to 533 stores more than the buffer 532 and the buffer 533 that are the recording destination of the log having the long recording interval. Large capacity. The buffer 532 has a larger storage capacity than the buffer 533.

  FIG. 3A shows an example of the log correspondence information D1 stored in the ROM 52. As shown in FIG. 3A, in the log correspondence information D1, a log A and a log B are associated with the first group. Similarly, log C and log D are associated with the second group, and log E and log F are associated with the third group. The log A and the log B are logs having a shorter recording interval than the log C, the log D, the log E, and the log F. Further, the log C and the log B are logs having a shorter recording interval than the log E and the log F. The number of buffers secured in the RAM 53 and the number of log groups are not limited to three, and may be at least two.

  Note that the log A is a debug log related to, for example, whether or not an error has occurred in the multifunction machine 10, and the recording interval is 0.1 seconds. The log B is, for example, a paper conveyance control log related to the operation of a drive system that conveys a sheet in the multifunction machine 10, and the recording interval is 0.2 seconds. The log C is, for example, a toner control log related to a toner supply operation from the toner container 34A to the developing device 34, and the recording interval is 0.25 seconds. The log D is, for example, a development control log relating to the operation of the developing device 34, and the recording interval is 0.3 seconds. The log E is an emergency log system log relating to the occurrence of an emergency such as a runaway of the system including the control unit 5 or the like, and the recording interval is 0.4 seconds. The log F is a system log related to the operating state of the system including the control unit 5 and the like, and the recording interval is 0.5 seconds.

  Then, the CPU 51 reads the log correspondence information D1 from the ROM 52, expands it in the RAM 53, and distributes and records each of the logs to the plurality of buffers 531 to 533 based on the log correspondence information D1. Execute. Here, the CPU 51 when executing the log recording process is an example of a log recording unit.

[Log recording process]
Here, an example of the procedure of the log recording process executed by the CPU 51 in the multifunction machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, S11, S12,... Represent processing procedure (step) numbers executed by the CPU 51.

<Step S11>
First, in step S11, the CPU 51 waits for recording timing of any of various logs in the multifunction machine 10 (No side of S11). Specifically, the CPU 21 determines the arrival of the recording timing of each log based on a recording interval preset for each log. If it is determined that the log recording timing has come (Yes in S11), the process proceeds to step S12.

<Step S12>
Next, in step S12, the CPU 51 determines based on the log correspondence information D1 whether or not the log determined to have reached the recording timing in step S11 belongs to the first group. When the log belongs to the first group (Yes side of S12), the CPU 51 shifts the process to Step S13, and when it is determined that the log does not belong to the first group (No side of S12), The CPU 51 shifts the process to step S121.

<Step S13>
In step S13, the CPU 51 records, in the buffer 531 corresponding to the first group, the log determined that the recording timing has come in step S11. For example, the CPU 51 stores the log A or the log B in the buffer 531 as shown in FIG. 3B in response to the recording timing of the log A or the log B. At this time, the CPU 51 overwrites and records the log in the buffer 531 in order from the oldest information.

<Step S121>
In step S121, the CPU 51 determines based on the log correspondence information D1 whether the log determined to have reached the recording timing in step S11 belongs to the second group. When the log belongs to the second group (Yes side of S121), the CPU 51 shifts the process to Step S122, and when it is determined that the log does not belong to the second group (No side of S121), The CPU 51 shifts the process to step S123.

<Step S122>
In step S122, the CPU 51 records the log determined to have reached the recording timing in step S11 in the buffer 532 corresponding to the second group. For example, the CPU 51 stores the log C or the log D in the buffer 532 as shown in FIG. 3B in response to the recording timing of the log C or the log D. At this time, the CPU 51 overwrites and records the log in the buffer 532 in order from the oldest information.

<Step S123>
On the other hand, in step S123, the CPU 51 records the money log determined to have reached the recording timing in step S11 in the buffer 533 corresponding to the third group. For example, the CPU 51 stores the log E or the log F in the buffer 533 as shown in FIG. 3B in response to the recording timing of the log E or the log F. At this time, the CPU 51 overwrites and records the log in the buffer 533 in order from the oldest information.

  In this way, in the multi-function device 10, the log recording process is executed by the CPU 51, whereby each log is recorded in a buffer allocated according to the log recording interval among the plurality of buffers 531 to 533. Is done. Specifically, logs belonging to the first group with the shortest recording period are recorded in the buffer 531. Similarly, the log belonging to the second group having the next shortest period is recorded in the buffer 532, and the log belonging to the third group having the longest recorded period is recorded in the buffer 533. Therefore, in the multi-function device 10, since a plurality of types of logs are recorded in different buffers according to the recording interval, it is possible to individually secure an accumulation amount of each log having a different recording interval, and a long recording interval. Only the amount of log accumulation is prevented from becoming extremely small.

  When the CPU 51 displays the logs recorded in the buffers 531 to 533 of the RAM 53 on the operation display unit 6 or a display device such as an external personal computer, a different display screen is used for each of the buffers 531 to 533. Can also be output. Thereby, the display amount of each of the logs having different recording periods is individually secured in each of the operation display unit 6 and the display screen of the display device. Similarly, when the CPU 51 outputs the logs recorded in the buffers 531 to 533 of the RAM 53 to a storage device (not shown) such as a hard disk provided in the multifunction machine 10 or a storage device such as an external personal computer. It is also conceivable to output to different storage devices for each of the buffers 531 to 533. Thereby, the storage amount of each of the logs having different recording periods is individually secured in each of the storage devices.

  By the way, in the multifunction device 10, when a specific event such as a preset abnormality occurs, a configuration in which a detailed log is recorded by shortening a recording interval of a log having a long recording interval at normal times can be considered. In this case, in the configuration in which the recording destination of each log is controlled based on the log correspondence information D1, for example, by shortening the recording interval of the log C, the accumulation amount of the log D is extremely reduced. Therefore, in the multi-function device 10, the storage destination of each log is appropriately changed when the specific event occurs by executing a recording destination changing process described later by the CPU 51.

[Recording destination change processing]
Hereinafter, an example of the procedure of the recording destination changing process executed by the CPU 51 in the multifunction machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, S21, S22,... Represent processing procedure (step) numbers executed by the CPU 51. The CPU 51 executes the log recording process shown in FIG. 4 and the recording destination change process shown in FIG. 5 in parallel. In another embodiment, the log recording process and the recording destination change process may be executed by different processing entities.

<Step S21>
First, in step S21, the CPU 51 determines whether or not the specific event set in advance has occurred. The specific event is, for example, occurrence of an abnormal fixing temperature, a paper jam, out of toner, or unauthorized access. If the CPU 51 determines that the specific event has occurred (Yes in S21), the process proceeds to step S22. On the other hand, if the specific event has not occurred (No in S21), the CPU 51 shifts the process to step S25.

<Step S22>
In step S22, the CPU 51 changes the recording destination of one or a plurality of logs (hereinafter referred to as “related logs”) set in advance as logs related to the specific event. The correspondence relationship between the specific event and the related log is preset and stored in the ROM 52 or the like. For example, when an abnormality occurs in the fixing temperature, a log of a detection result of a temperature sensor that measures the fixing temperature is set as the related log, and when a paper jam occurs, the driving state of the paper transport motor and the paper are Logs such as detection results of detection sensors are set as the related logs.

  More specifically, in step S22, the CPU 51 changes the recording destination of the related log related to the specific event that has occurred to a buffer having a larger storage capacity than the buffer that was the original recording destination of the related log. To do. For example, when the related log is the log C, the CPU 51 changes the group to which the log C set by the log correspondence information D1 belongs from the second group to the second group as shown in FIG. Change to one group. Thus, the log C is recorded in the buffer 531 corresponding to the first group in the log recording process (see FIG. 6B). When the related log is the log E, the CPU 51 changes the group to which the log E set by the log correspondence information D1 belongs from the third group to the first group or the second group. . Accordingly, the log E is recorded in the buffer 531 or the buffer 532 corresponding to the first group or the second group in the log recording process.

<Step S23>
Next, in step S23, the CPU 51 shortens the recording interval of the related logs to a preset shortening interval for each related log. For example, when the recording interval of the log A is 0.1 seconds before the occurrence of the specific event and the recording interval of the log C is 0.25 seconds, the recording interval of the log C is the same as that of the log A It is shortened to the same 0.1 second. Accordingly, the log C is recorded in the buffer 531 corresponding to the first group in a short cycle in the log recording process.

<Step S24>
Further, in step S24, the CPU 51 changes the log recording destination not related to the specific event to another buffer among the logs recorded in the buffer that becomes the recording destination of the related log after the change in step S22. For example, if the log B is a log that is not related to the specific event, the CPU 51 assigns the group to which the log B set in the log correspondence information D1 belongs, as shown in FIG. Change from the group to the second group.

  Accordingly, the log B is recorded in the buffer 532 corresponding to the second group in the log recording process (see FIG. 6B). That is, the CPU 51 replaces the recording destination buffers of the log B and the log C through the steps S22 and S24. Accordingly, the buffer 531 can increase the amount of the log C accumulated by the amount that the log B is not recorded.

  Further, the CPU 51 may change the recording destination of the log B to the buffer 532 and extend the recording interval of the log B to a preset extension time. Accordingly, the accumulated amount of the log D is not reduced by the recording of the log B in the buffer 532. Note that in a configuration in which the storage capacity of the buffer 531 is sufficiently ensured, the CPU 51 may omit the process of step S24. That is, in this case, the log A, the log B, and the log C are stored in the buffer 531.

  Further, it is conceivable that a priority order is set in advance for each type of log belonging to the first group in which the buffer 531 is set as a recording destination. In step S24, the CPU 51 may select one or a plurality of logs according to the priority order and change the recording destination of each log to another buffer. Further, the priority may be a value different for each type of the specific event determined to have occurred in step S21. As a result, the log to be preferentially recorded is changed according to the contents of the specific event. If there are a plurality of the related logs related to the specific event, the CPU 51 may change the recording destinations of the plurality of related logs to the buffer 531 in step S22.

<Step S25>
Thereafter, in step S25, the CPU 51 determines whether or not an external output of the log recorded in the RAM 53 has been executed. If the CPU 51 determines that the external output of the event log has been completed (Yes in S26), the process proceeds to step S27. On the other hand, if it is determined that the external output of the event log is not completed (No side in S26), the CPU 51 causes the process to wait in step S26.

  Specifically, when a USB memory is attached to the multifunction device 10 and an output request operation is performed by the user on the operation display unit 6, the CPU 51 stores information on each log in the RAM 53. It is possible to output to memory. The CPU 51 outputs the log to the information processing apparatus when receiving an output request signal from an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer connected to the multifunction peripheral 10 via a network such as a LAN or the Internet. It is also possible.

<Step S26>
When the log in the RAM 53 is output to the outside, it is considered that the log necessary for the purpose of investigating the cause of the specific event has already been output. Therefore, in the subsequent step S26, the CPU 51 cancels the change of the recording destination of each of the logs in the recording destination changing process. Specifically, the CPU 51 deletes the log correspondence information D1 (see FIG. 6A) after being changed in the step S22 or the step S24, and stores the log correspondence information D1 (in the initial state) from the ROM 52. 3A) is read out and developed in the RAM 53. Then, in the log recording process, the CPU 51 controls the recording destination of each log according to the log correspondence information D1 in the initial state developed in the RAM 53.

  As described above, in the multi-function device 10, the recording destination changing process is executed by the CPU 51, so that when the specific event occurs, the accumulation amount of the related log related to the specific event may be increased. it can. In addition, when the specific event has not occurred, each log is distributed and recorded in the buffers 531 to 533 corresponding to each recording interval, so that the accumulated amount of each log at different recording intervals is individually secured. Is done.

1: ADF
2: Image reading unit 3: Image forming unit 4: Paper feeding unit 5: Control unit 51: CPU
52: ROM
53: RAM
531 to 532: buffer 6: operation display unit 10: multifunction peripheral

Claims (7)

Multiple buffers for multiple types of logs,
Log recording means for recording each of the logs in the buffer allocated according to the log recording interval among the plurality of buffers;
Electronic equipment comprising.   The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein among the plurality of buffers, the buffer that is the recording destination of the log having a short recording interval has a storage capacity larger than the buffer that is the recording destination of the log having a long recording interval. .   When the log recording unit generates a preset specific event, the recording destination of one or a plurality of related logs related to the specific event among the logs is recorded as the recording destination of the related log among the plurality of buffers. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the log recording interval is shortened while changing to another buffer having a larger storage capacity than the buffer assigned as.   The log recording means changes the log recording destination not related to the specific event to the other buffer among the logs recorded in the buffer that becomes the recording destination of the related log after the change. Electronic equipment.   The log recording unit selects one or a plurality of log recording destinations selected according to a preset priority from among the logs recorded in the buffer that is the recording destination of the related logs after the change. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the electronic device is changed to a buffer.   The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the log recording unit cancels the change of the recording destination of each log when the related log is output from the buffer. Preparing a plurality of buffers in which a plurality of types of logs are recorded;
Recording each log in the buffer allocated according to the log recording interval among the plurality of buffers;
Log recording method.

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